Wireless delivery of telelocator alphanumeric protocol (TAP) messages

Abstract

A conversion device may receive a first message in a Telelocator Alphanumeric Protocol (TAP) format. The first message may include information that identifies a user device as an intended recipient of the first message. The first message may not be transmissible over a wireless connection. The conversion device may convert the first message into a second message in a first format capable of being transmitted over the wireless connection. The second message may include information that identifies the user device. The conversion device may provide the second message, using the wireless connection, to a messaging device. The wireless message may cause the messaging device to convert the second message into a third message in a second format that is capable of being delivered to the identified user device. The wireless message may further cause the messaging device to provide the third message to the user device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A conversion device, comprising:
 one or more processors to:
 receive, over a wired connection, a Telelocator Alphanumeric Protocol (TAP) message,
 the TAP message identifying a user device as an intended recipient of the TAP message, and 
 the TAP message not being transmissible over a wireless connection; 
 
 convert the TAP message into a wireless message capable of being transmitted over the wireless connection,
 a wireless message format of the wireless message being different from a Short Messaging Service (SMS) format, and 
 the wireless message identifying the user device; and 
 
 provide the wireless message, using the wireless connection, to a messaging device,
 the wireless message causing the messaging device to convert the wireless message into a text message, that is capable of being delivered to the user device, and to provide the text message to the user device. 
 
 
 
     
     
       2. The conversion device of  claim 1 ,
 where the one or more processors are further to:
 receive configuration information that identifies the wireless message format for the wireless message; and 
 
 where the one or more processors, when converting the TAP message into the wireless message, are further to:
 convert the TAP message into the wireless message based on the wireless message format identified in the configuration information. 
 
 
     
     
       3. The conversion device of  claim 1 , where the wireless message format being an Extensible Markup Language (XML) format. 
     
     
       4. The conversion device of  claim 1 ,
 where the one or more processors are further to:
 receive configuration information that identifies a text message format for the text message; and 
 
 where the wireless message further causes the messaging device to convert the wireless message into the text message based on the text message format identified in the configuration information. 
 
     
     
       5. The conversion device of  claim 4 , where the text message format includes at least one of:
 the SMS format, or 
 a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) format. 
 
     
     
       6. The conversion device of  claim 1 , where the one or more processors, when receiving the TAP message over the wired connection, are further to:
 receive the TAP message over a plain old telephone service (POTS) wire. 
 
     
     
       7. The conversion device of  claim 1 , where the one or more processors are further to:
 receive a response message from the user device and via the messaging device; and 
 provide the response message to a client terminal for display. 
 
     
     
       8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:
 one or more instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
 receive a first message in a Telelocator Alphanumeric Protocol (TAP) format,
 the first message including information that identifies a user device as an intended recipient of the first message, and 
 the first message not being transmissible over a wireless connection; 
 
 convert the first message into a second message in a first format capable of being transmitted over the wireless connection,
 the first format being different from a Short Messaging Service (SMS) format, and 
 the second message including information that identifies the user device; and 
 
 provide the second message, using the wireless connection, to a messaging device,
 the second message causing the messaging device to convert the second message into a third message in a second format that is capable of being delivered to the identified user device, and to provide the third message to the user device. 
 
 
 
     
     
       9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 8 ,
 where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:
 receive configuration information that identifies the first format; and 
 
 where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to convert the first message into the second message, further cause the one or more processors to:
 convert the first message into the second message using the first format identified in the configuration information. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 8 ,
 where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:
 receive configuration information that identifies the second format; and 
 
 where the second message further causes the messaging device to convert the second message into the third message using the second format identified in the configuration information. 
 
     
     
       11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 8 ,
 where the first format includes an Extensible Markup Language (XML) format, and 
 where the second format includes at least one of:
 the SMS format, 
 a Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) format, or 
 an email message format. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , where the one or more instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the one or more processors to:
 initiate a messaging session with the messaging device; and 
 negotiate the first format or the second format based on initiating the messaging session,
 the negotiation identifying the first format or the second format based on information that identifies a capability of the messaging device and another device that provides the second message to the messaging device. 
 
 
     
     
       13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 12 , where the one or more instructions, that cause the one or more processors to initiate the messaging session, further cause the one or more processors to:
 initiate the messaging session based on receiving the first message. 
 
     
     
       14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , where the first format is different from the second format. 
     
     
       15. A method, comprising:
 receiving, by a conversion device, a first message that is in a first format,
 the first format being a Telelocator Alphanumeric Protocol (TAP) format, and 
 the first message in the first format not being transmissible over a wireless connection; 
 
 converting, by the conversion device, the first message into a second message that is in a second format,
 the second format being different from a Short Messaging Service (SMS) format, and 
 the second message being transmissible over the wireless connection; and 
 
 providing, by the conversion device and via the wireless connection, the second message to a messaging device,
 providing the second message causing the messaging device to convert the second message into a third message that is in a third format, and 
 providing the second message causing the messaging device to provide the third message to a user device. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 providing, to the messaging device, configuration information that indicates that the conversion device is capable of receiving response messages; and 
 receiving, from the messaging device and based on providing the configuration information, a response message transmitted by the user device. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 providing the response message to a client terminal for display. 
 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 providing, to the messaging device, information that identifies a response format for the response messages; and 
 causing, based on providing the information that identifies the format for the response messages, the messaging device to convert the response message into the response format,
 where receiving the response message further comprises:
 receiving the response message in the response format. 
 
 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 receiving configuration information that identifies the second format,
 where converting the first message into the second message comprises:
 converting the first message from the first format into the second format using the second format identified in the configuration information. 
 
 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 receiving configuration information that identifies the third format,
 where causing the messaging device to convert the second message into the third message comprises:
 causing the messaging device to convert the second message into the third message using the third format identified in the configuration information.